Le Mans Winner to Partner Davo at Gold Coast

Former Le Mans 24-hour class winner and endurance race specialist Marc Lieb will team up with Alex Davison in the #4 IRWIN Racing Ford Falcon at this year’s ARMORALL Gold Coast 600, in October.

Former Le Mans 24-hour class winner and endurance race specialist Marc Lieb will team up with Alex Davison in the #4 IRWIN Racing Ford Falcon at this year’s ARMORALL Gold Coast 600, in October.

Lieb is a current Porsche factory driver and a highly regarded endurance race driver who won last weekend’s prestigious Nürburgring 24 hour race.

The Lieb/Davison combination is a well known one, with Alex Davison racing alongside the German in the Le Mans Series in 2008. The pair came second in the GT2 class before Davison returned to Australia to race for current team Stone Brothers Racing.

“It’s a great thing for me to go to Australia and the Gold Coast 600,” said Marc Lieb.

“Alex Davison is a very good friend of mine; I have known him for almost 10 years now. We raced together in 2008 in the Le Mans series together; we had a lot of fun.

“We have shared the cockpit already together, so I am really looking forward to it.

“The Stone Brothers team is a very well know team, also in Europe, they won the championship with Marcos Ambrose.

“It’s definitely one of the best teams; it has proven to have one of the best cars this year so far. Alex has had some great results in the championship; I'm really looking forward to being there.”

Lieb has enjoyed a close friendship with Davison for several years and is continually being briefed about V8 Supercars.

“(Alex and I) are talking a lot,” Lieb said.

“He is always telling me how good these (V8 Supercars) are and how fun they are to drive.

“They have a lot of horsepower and the competition is very close, so I am really looking forward to it.”

While Lieb is used to racing an assortment of sports cars he is expecting V8 Supercars and the tight Gold Coast street circuit will be a challenge.

“It’s a big issue to get to know a new street circuit, to get to know the lines and the braking points,” said Lieb.

“I think it’s really hard to get to know the circuit, I am trying to get as many on-boards (on-board vision) as I can get.

“I think it’s very hard. I think it’s a big challenge, I think Alex will help me a lot, it should be ok.

“I spoke to Pat Long, he drove (a V8 Supercar) last season; he said it’s quite different but it’s still a car with four wheels, so I should be OK to drive but it’s definitely going to be a challenge.”

Alex Davison is looking forward to Lieb joining IRWIN Racing on the Gold Coast. Both he and Lieb have wanted to drive alongside one another again for a long time.

“Marc (Lieb) is one of my best friends,” said Alex Davison.

“We started out 10 years ago driving for Porsche at the same time in Germany, we lived in the same town.

“He’s a brilliant driver and one of the best I’ve raced against and with.

“In 2008 we drove together in the European Le Mans Series which was great because we were friends already and it was great competing together.

“We've been waiting for the opportunity for something like this to present itself and the opportunity was there.”

Davison understands how important it is to have a co-driver at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 that can do the job.

“He's an ultra talented guy, he's really fast,” said Davison.

“Everyone wants great drivers, big names, but you want guys that are still racing and very talented as well.

“Marc has won the Le Mans 24 hour race, the Daytona 24 hour race, the Nürburgring 24 hour race, he's won all the big Sports car races, he’s been a factory driver for Porsche for more than 10 years,

“I really rate the way the Sports car drivers go about their business.

“They have to be really quick, but there is an emphasis on keeping the car straight, keeping it on track and staying out of trouble. I have absolute confidence in him.”

Stone Brothers Racing team Principal Ross Stone was aware of Marc Lieb and his talent behind the wheel, but trusted Davison and had no issues signing the experienced German to IRWIN Racing.

“Alex (Davison) assured me they would be the perfect combination, so we are looking forward to having Marc Lieb driving with us,” said Ross Stone.

“Marc has made it clear to me that he is really keen to come out and drive a V8. He knows it won’t be easy but he gets the test day to become accustomed to the IRWIN Ford.

“Everyone wants a strong co-driver to be a part of their team. I’m not worried about Marc at all; he’s done so much racing.

“I’m confident that he’ll take too it with no problems at all. I expect Alex and Marc will be a strong combination.”

The Armor All Gold Coast 600 is being staged on a purpose built race track on the streets of Surfers Paradise, October 21-23, 2011.